Apparatus for vertical extraction of material



p 0, 1969 .1. CRIGNON ETAL 3,469,721

APPARATUS FOR VERTICAL EXTRACTION OF MATERIAL Filed Aug. 22, 1967 4 Sheets-$heet 1 Fig.

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THE/R ATTORNEYS 3,469,721 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 3,469,721 APPARATUS FGR VERTICAL EXTRACTION F MATERIAL US. Cl. 214-18 4 Claims I ma mm.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vertical extraction apparatus particularly adapted for use in vertical furnaces having a collar of the same cross sectional design as the lower part of the furnace in which the solid material to be extracted is located and a bearer plate adapted for movement within the collar and having a shape substantially the same as the collar for moving and extracting the material to a lower level. Positioned within the collar and between the bearer plate and the lower end of the furnace is a horizontal fragmenting or sectioning mechanism for retaining the flow of material when said bearer plate is carrying a portion of said material to the lower part of the vertical furnace.

Our invention relates generally to vertical reaction or storage apparatus and, more particularly, to an extraction means which insures a continuous, homogeneous and regular progression of solid materials traveling from the top to the bottom of a reaction or storage apparatus with a vertical axis, for example, a furnace in which solid materials are converted.

Today, there are in existence numerous types of appatus in which the solid material undergoing processing travels from the top to the bottom of the device from which it is extracted. As a general rule, the reaction space occupies a substantial volume of the apparatus and it is, therefore, not essential to obtain identical rates of descent at all points along a horizontal cross section. However, a uniform rate of descent must be met or obtained at all points along a horizontal cross section when the reaction space is of a limited height. The problem of obtaining uniformity of rates of descent becomes complex when the material undergoing processing agglomerates under the action of the physical and/ or chemical treatment applied within the reaction chamber, especially at high temperature. When the material is not agglomerated, the known extraction devices such as gates, rotary discs, horizontal belts, slides or drawers, insure satisfactory extraction of the processed material. However, these devices lack a uniformity in rate of descent of the processed material; for example, the speed of descent at the axis and at the periphery of the device differ considerably. Furthermore, when the material is agglomerated by the treatment applied in the reaction enclosure and takes the form of a cylinder of considerable hardness at the base of the enclosure, the known devices cannot even insure the extraction of the product.

Our invention assures both the extraction of the product and its uniform descent within the column or device, even if this product appears in compact or hard or not very friable form. Generally, our invention comprises a collar or shell or the like at the base of a reaction enclosure which has the same cross sectional area as the base of said enclosure and which may be separable and displaceable from the enclosure itself. Within the collar is a vertically displaceable bearer to which a bearer plate having a cross sectional design substantially the same as the cross sectional design of the collar is attached. This bearer is adapted for vertical descent to lower the bearer plate to a point below the lower end of the collar. Between the bearer plate and the lower end of the reaction enclosure are fragmenting or sectioning devices, adapted to horizontally penetrate the descending material to thereby fragment or section the column. The sectioning devices retain the portion of material above them and prevent it from descending into the collar and upon the bearer plate. The bearer plate and the sectioning devices are dependent and responsive to one another, that is, the sectioning devices retain the flow of material from the reaction enclosure as the bearer plate descends through the collar to dispose of the material upon it.

When the bearer plate is in the high position, that is, when it is in the collar, the fragmenting or sectioning devices are withdrawn, and the material from the reaction enclosure rests on the bearer plate. The bearer then moves downward through the collar at a speed which has been predetermined and when it reaches the bottom of the collar, the sectioning devices are brought into action. When the sectioning devices have passed through the material in the course of their descent out of the reaction enclosure, they are separated into two portions-an upper one which is carried by the sectioning devices, and a lower one which rests upon the bearer plate and which is rapidly eliminated by appropriate means. The bearer is then raised again until it comes into contact with the sectioning devices which are then retracted. The material present in the reaction enclosure again rests upon the bearer plate and the cycle begins again. The period required for the elimination of the material carried upon the bearer may be very short, and thus, may not effect the speed of descent of the material in the apparatus appreciahly.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown preferred embodiments of our invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, showing our invention with the bearer plate in high position;

FIGURE 2 is the same as FIGURE 1, except that the sectioning devices have closed and the bearer plate is in the low position of the collar;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the bearer plate removed from the collar and tilted to remove the processed material;

FIGURE 4 illustrates another embodiment of our invention in which the processed material is removed from the bearer plate without tipping;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing another embodiment of our invention in which the entire collar is removed from the reaction apparatus and tilted to remove the processed material;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the embodiment of FIGURE 5 showing the collar and its mounting; and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing the collar in tilted position for removal of the processed material from the collar.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a furnace 16 is filled with a product 17 being processed. At the lower portion of the furnace is affixed a collar 6 that has a cross sectional design substantially the same as the cross sectional design of the lower portion of the furnace. Within collar 6 is bearer 5 having a bearer plate 4 mounted thereon. Bearer 5 is interdependent with a strong movable carriage 5a. The carriage has two horizontal spindles 7 and 9 adapted for travel in fixed vertical guides 10 and 12 respectively. Vertical guide 10 is closed and guide 12 is open at its side adjacent the lower end 13. Carriage 5a has an arcuate guide 15 therein which spindle 8 is movable. Spindle 8 is mounted within a fixed vertical guideway 11 and secured to rod 19 of ram or hydraulic cylinder 14. Vertical movement of the ramrod causes 3 spindle 8 to move within guideway 11 and laterally within guide 15.

Above or within collar 6 is the sectioning device comprising layers of rods or blades 1 which are horizontally actuated by means of rams or hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 2 through frame 3. For the fragmenting or seetioning device, We prefer to utilize one or more layers of drills, blades, or jumper bars, which are either crisscrossed or horizontally positioned above each other. These are directly connected to a means for insuring a continuous thrust and/or an intermittent percussive motion similar to that of the bar or blade of a piercing hammer. The number of blades or bars of a layer and the number of layers are dependent upon the nature of the material being processed at the level of the blades, and particularly important in this regard is its hardness, fragility and the final grain size desired at the end of extraction. Depending upon the conditions, it is possible to use a single layer of blades. It is also possible to employ with a single layer, several blades that intersect one another.

The collar 6 in which the bearer plate moves may be an extension of the lower portion of the furnace with openings therein for the passage of the sectioning or fragmenting device blades. Or, it may be independent of the lower portion of the furnace, but having the same cross sectional design as the lower portion of the furnace, where the separation between the furnace and the collar providing a passageway for the sectioning device.

In extracting the processed product from the furnace, the blades 1 are in the withdrawn position, FIGURE 1, an dthe column of material in the furnace is supported by bearer plate 4, which is in the high position. Rod 19 of ram 14 is extended and spindles 7 and 9 are in the top portion of guides 1t) and 12 respectively. Bearer 5 and plate 4 descend through collar 6 at a speed corresponding to that required for satisfactory production by means of a hydraulic pump of small delivery and appropriate electromagnetic valves connected to ram 14. As bearer plate 4 descends, the material resting thereon descends. The descent is terminated when spindles 7 and 9 reach the bottoms of their respective guides it and 12. At this point, spindle 8 is intermediately positioned in guide 11 (see FIGURE 2). When spindle 8 is so positioned rams 2 are actuated causing blades 1 to progressively penetrate material 17. When blades 1 are fully extended (see FIG- URE 2) the portion of material 17 remaining in the furnace is supported by the extended blades. The severed portion of material fills collar 6 and is supported by bearer plate 4.

At the instant the blades become fully extended, ram 14 is eccelerated causing rod 1% to become fully retracted therein. The retraction of rod 19 causes spindle 8 to descend guide 11 and the shape of groove forces the carriage to pivot about spindle 7. The pivoting of the carriage forces spindle 9 out of its guide through opening 13 in guide 12. This action clears bearer 5 from the collar and causes it to tip thereby dumping the material carried by plate 4 into a hopper or the like (not known).

During the descent of the bearer, it is possible to activate the sectioning device several times in order to obtain a greater fractionation of processed material. In this case, it is acceptable to perform sectioning of the material and immediately Withdraw them while permitting the bearer to continuously descend. The actuation herein involved is of a short duration and does not substantially inhibit the rate of descent of the product.

After the dumping is effectuated, a control system (not shown) actuates ram 14 to cause the rapid ascent of spindle 8, which first returns carriage and bearer plate to the position shown in FIGURE 2 and then lifts them to the position shown in FIGURE 1. When spindle 7 comes into contact with the top of guide 10, the control system causes the actuation of the rams 2 causing blades 1 to be retracted. The column of material supported by blades 1 drops a few centimeters onto plate 4 which immediately 4 begins its slow descent within collar 6, thus beginning a new cycle.

Since the mandatory stopping period during the lowering of the product should be as short as possible between the instant when spindle '7 reaches the bottom of guide 10 and instantly it begins to ascend to the top, ram 14 is actuated by a pump of much greater output and decidedly more powerful than required to actuate the descent of the bearer plate within the collar. In this case, the short interruption of the descent of the product followed by the sudden small drop referred to, do not have any appreciable effect on the evenness or quality of the product.

In FIGURE 4 there is illustrated another embodiment of our invention in which the bearer plate is directly af fixed to rod 19 of ram 14. In this case, it is necessary to use a means 24) for clearing the plate when the rod has been retracted.

In FIGURES 57, we have shown an embodiment of our invention in which the collar is removable and extraction of the product is achieved by tilting the collar. The bearer plate is mounted as in FIGURE 4 and the ram 14- and collar 6 are mounted on a pivotable stand 21 which in turn is mounted on a movable holder 22. After the bearer plate has reached its lowest position, the holder 22. is moved away from the furnace and stand 21 is tilted as shown in FIGURE 7 to dump the processed material onto a hopper conveyor or the like (not shown).

We claim:

1. In a vertical reaction apparatus in which materials are processed while moving from top to bottom in a reaction chamber formed by a vertical enclosure, the improvement comprising:

(A) a collar having a cross sectional design substantially the same as the lower end of the enclosure and positioned adjacent the lower end of the enclosure and thereby forming a continuation of the reaction chamber;

(B) a bearer plate vertically movable within the collar and having a cross sectional design substantially the same as the collar;

(C) means for supporting and vertically moving the bearer plate within the collar, said means including a hydraulic cylinder having a rod to which a spindle is attached and a carriage means attached to the bearer plate and including an arcuate guideway in which the spindle rides whereby downward movement of the spindle after the bearer plate is below the bottom of the collar causes the bearer plate to tilt and discharge the processed materials carried by the bearer plate;

(D) horizontal sectioning means moving into the reaction chamber at a position between the lower end of the enclosure and the uppermost position of the bearer plate in the collar whereby vertical movement of the materials being processed through the enclosure may be stopped;

(E) means for moving the horizontal sectioning means out of the reaction chamber when the bearer plate is in the uppermost position in the collar adjacent the sectioning means and for moving the sectioning means into the reaction chamber when the bearer plate is at the bottom of the collar; and,

(F) means for removing processed material from the bearer plate while the horizontal sectioning means are positioned in the reaction chamber.

2. The improvement claimed in claim 1 including a scraping means whereby the processed material carried by the bearer plate can be cleared from said plate when the plate is below the collar.

3. The improvement claimed in claim 1 wherein the means supporting and moving the bearer plate includes:

(A) a hydraulic cylinder having a rod to which a spindle is attached,

(B) three fixed vertical guideways, one of the guideways being longer than the other two guideways, the two shorter guideways having a length equal to the vertical movement of bearer plate and one of the short guideways having an opening at its lower end, and

(C) a carriage means attached to the bearer plate and having two spindles attached to it and an arcuate guideway, the two carriage spindles riding in the two short guideways and the rod spindle riding in the arcuate guideway and also riding in the longer fixed guideway, whereby movement of the cylinder rod downward forces the carriage and the bearer plate downward until the spindles reach the bottom of the two short guideways and further downward movement of the rod causes the carriage and bearer plate to tilt and discharge the processed materials carried by the bearer plate.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,917,746 7/1933 West 214-18 2,269,838 1/1942 Wroblewski. 2,871,170 1/1959 Bewley et al. 214-18 XR ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

